Our Heritage
Emmanuel Reformed Church was established in 1877 and is an organic member of the Reformed Church in the United States. The Reformed Church traces its history from apostolic times through the Protestant Reformation to today. We are indebted to God for raising up church leaders like Martin Luther, Ulrich Zwingli, John Calvin, and John Knox to direct His people back to the teachings of Holy Scripture. Our Reformed ancestors, following in the theological footsteps of these men, migrated to North America in the 18th century and established Reformed congregations in the New World.
Our God and Savior
We believe in one God, eternally existing in three Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Triune God created the universe in the space of six days and not by evolution, and He sustains and preserves the created order according to His eternal counsel and providence.
We believe Jesus Christ is the only-begotten Son of God, true God and true and righteous man, the only Savior of mankind. By His substitutionary death on the cross for our sins and His resurrection from the dead, Christ has secured for us the forgiveness of our sins, imputed righteousness, and eternal life. In appreciation for the great love God has shown us in Christ, we are committed to living thankful and obedient lives.
We believe God causes His chosen people to persevere in true faith until the bodily appearance of Jesus Christ, who will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead. At His coming, the Lord will make our mortal bodies like unto His glorified body, and we will reign with Him forever in the New Heaven and New Earth.
Our Authority
We have adopted the universal creeds of the ancient church (Apostles’, Nicene, and Athanasian) and the Three Forms of Unity (Heidelberg Catechism, Belgic Confession of Faith, and Canons of Dort) as our confessional standards. These creeds and confessions are accurate summaries of Christian doctrine and are subordinate to our highest authority, the Bible. We believe the Bible is the divinely inspired, infallible, and inerrant Word of God, fully authoritative in all matters of faith and conduct.
The Head of the church is Jesus Christ, who rules His people by His Word and Spirit and appoints officers for their care and service. Our Consistory (pastor, elders, and deacons) guards the temporal concerns of the church, and our Spiritual Council (pastor and elders) watches over its spiritual interests. Our officers are also accountable to the South Central Classis and the Synod of the Reformed Church in the United States.
Our Consistory currently includes:
Pastor: Rev. Carl F. Gobelman
Elders: Fred Hofmann, Todd Hofmann, and Jerry Stevens
Deacons: Dan Baumert, Aaron Griess, and Gary Nuss
Our Invitation
We sincerely invite to join our church all who repent and confess their sins and misery, who believe they are redeemed only by God’s grace through faith in Jesus Christ, and who desire to live lives of thankful obedience in appreciation for their salvation. Your pastor, elders, and deacons stand ready to serve you at all times.
To learn more about the denomination we’re a part of (The Reformed Church in the United States), please visit the RCUS website by clicking this link.
